Telarah

An assessment of population growth drivers in Telarah reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Telarah is around 2,371, reflecting an increase of 53 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a growth rate of 2.3%, with the 2021 Census reporting a population of 2,318 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,222 in Jun 2024, which was based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS and an additional 2 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,658 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Interstate migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is forecasted to experience a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with an expected growth of 530 persons, reflecting a total increase of 16.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Telarah according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Telarah has averaged one development approval per year over five years, totaling eight approvals. This low level of activity is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics on an individual project basis.

Telarah's development activity is notably lower than the Rest of NSW and national averages. Recent developments have been exclusively medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, marking a significant change from the current 89.0% houses dominance. With approximately 1034 people per approval, Telarah indicates an established area. Future projections estimate an increase of 381 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Future projections show Telarah adding 381 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Telarah has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project, Truegain Site Remediation, Dalmore Park Employment Hub, and Max McMahon Oval Amenities Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant:.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Telarah are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Telarah has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, and an unemployment rate of 6.1% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in December 2025. There are 1,208 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 2.2% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. The workforce participation rate is 69.6%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%.

According to Census responses, 14.2% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Telarah has a strong specialization in mining, with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level, but agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 1.7% compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count.

In the 12-month period ending in December 2025, Telarah's labour force decreased by 0.6%, with an employment decline of 0.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment contracted by 1.2%, the labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Telarah's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Telarah's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Telarah is $51,080 and the average income stands at $64,667. These figures compare to Regional NSW's of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Telarah would be approximately $55,606 (median) and $70,396 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Telarah all fall between the 20th and 26th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 33.7% of the community earns between $1,500 - 2,999 (799 individuals), consistent with metropolitan trends at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Telarah, with only 82.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally.

Telarah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Telarah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.4% houses and 10.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Telarah stood at 28.5%, with the rest being mortgaged (38.7%) or rented (32.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Telarah was $300, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Telarah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Telarah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.0% of all households, including 22.1% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 17.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.0%, with lone person households at 32.0% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Telarah faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 10.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 7.8% of residents holding one, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 42.9% of residents aged 15 and above possessing vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 7.5% and certificates at 35.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Telarah has 21 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 17 different routes that collectively facilitate 225 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 148 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward to other areas for work or leisure. Car remains the primary mode of transport in Telarah, used by 93% of residents. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in Telarah, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 32 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Telarah is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Telarah faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

A range of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, with private health cover at approximately 53% of the total population (~1,245 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Telarah, impacting 14.1 and 11.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 56.9% of residents reported having no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Telarah has 16.6% of residents aged 65 and over (393 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The latest Census data sees Telarah placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Telarah's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 93.1% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home. The majority religion is Christianity, practiced by 54.8%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. Top ancestry groups are Australian (32.9%), English (31.1%), and Irish (9.3%).

Notably, Polish representation is higher at 1.3% versus 0.5% regionally, Australian Aboriginal at 6.9% versus 4.6%, and Samoan at 0.4% versus 0.1%.

Telarah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Telarah's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below Regional NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to the Regional NSW average, Telarah has a notably higher proportion of 25-34 year-olds (18.6%) but fewer 55-64 year-olds (9.6%). According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group increased from 16.5% to 18.6%, while the 55 to 64 cohort decreased from 11.5% to 9.6%. The 5 to 14 age group also dropped from 12.2% to 10.3%. Demographic modeling indicates that Telarah's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 27%, adding 119 residents to reach 561. Conversely, both the 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.